The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-03-30
weariness, and yot with d kind OF sup.

the Bishop suid slowly and solemnly.
"In the name OF God, who are you,
and what do you want2"
The apparition closed its book, rose
from its seat, stood confronting the
bishop, and, after q eight hesitation,
spoke in low but measured voice;
II have never been 80 adjured before;
I will tell you who am and what
want. AS you see, ain O
priest OF the Catholic Church; and,
eighty years ago, this house in which
we now stand was mine. Twas agood
rider, and was extremely fond hunt
ing when opportunity offered; and one
day | was just about to start Tor the
neighboring meet, when n young lady
Of very high family indeed called upon
me for the purpose OF making n con.
fession. What she said, OF course, i
may not repeat, but it affected very
closely the honor of one OF
the noblest ouses OF Eng
lard; and it appeared to me OF such
supreme Importance thai There being
certain complications in the case) |
committed the grave indiscretion-the
sin even, for it was strictly forbidden
by our church-ot making notes ofthe
confession rs heard it. When j. had
absolved and dismissed her | found
that it was only barely possible for
me to reach the rendezvous in time,
but even in my haste did not forget
the supreme Importance OF guarding
carefully my notes of the terrible Sc
t.A1 tn
poses which need not now detail, /
had few bricks loosened in the wall
OF one of the lower passages OF this
house and n small recess made just
the place, / thought, in which my
notes would be perfectly safe from any
conceivable accident until my return,
when intended to master the instrl-
caces OF the case at my leisure,
and then at once destroy the dan
gerous paper. Meantime | hurriedly
shut it between the leaves OF book |
had held in my hand, ran downstairs,
thrust the book into the recess re-
placed the bricks, sprang upon my
horse, and rode CT Mt full speed. =.
That day in the hunting field was
thrown from my horse and killed on
the spot; and ever since it has been
my dreary fate to haunt this earthly
home OF mine and try to avert the
consequence OF my sln-try to guard
from any possibility OF discovery the
fatal notes which | so rashly and
wrongly made. Never till now has
there seemed aught OF help for me
or hope OF deliverence from this weary
task; but now vii, you save me? Ii
| show you where my book is hidden,
will you swear by all that you hold
sacred to destroy the paper that 1T
contains without reading it-without
letting any human eye see even one
word Of its contents? Will you pledge
your word to do thisY
81 pledge my word to obey your
wish to the letter, said the Bishop
with solemnity.
The gaze OF the priests eyes was so
intense that thoy seemed to pierce his
very soul, but apparently the result
OF the scrutiny was satisfactory, for
the phantom turned away, with a
deep sigh OF relief, saying, Then fol-
low me"
With strange sense OF unrealitY the
Bishop found himself following the APP
partition down the broad staircase
to the ground floor, and then down u
narrower one OF stone that seemed to
lead down TO some cellars or vaults.
Suddenly the priest stopped and turn
ed toward him.
"This is the place" he said placing
his hand on the wall; remove this
plaster, loosen the bricks, and you
will find behind them the recess OF
which spoke. Mark the spot well,
and-remember your promise. "
Following the pointing hand and
apparent wish of the spectre, the
Bishop closely examined the wall at
the spot indicated and then turned to
the priest to ask another question;
but to his intense astonishment there
was no one there-he was absolutely
alone in the dimly. lighted passage.
Perhaps he ought TO have been pre-
pared for this sudden disappearance,
but it startled him pore than he
cared to admit, even to himself. He
hurried up the stairs, and presented
himself still breathless with the sur
prise, in the diningroom.
His PROLONGED absence had caused
some comment, ami now his agitated
appearance excited general attention.
Unable for the moment to speak CO.
herently, his only answer to the earn
est questions OF his host was a sign
which referred him to the hostess for
explanation. With some hesitation
she confessed the errand upon which
her request had dispatched the
bishop, and, as may easily be imagin-
"a Lhn intansast Ii tarnst mud eNclte-